Supermarket sweep dream for Selsey mum

Debbie Skidmore. Picture by Sarah Standing

Published:13:00Monday 26 May 2014

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WHEN Debbie Skidmore put a bucket list together, doing a supermarket sweep was top of the list.

On May 18, the mum-of-two from Selsey was stunned when she arrived at Tesco Extra in Havant, to find dozens of family members there to cheer her on. Staff at the supermarket helped Debbie fill up trollies full of groceries she could take home for free.

“It was fantastic,” said Debbie. “It was just a case of grab what you can. The staff here were doing it for us because I’m in a wheelchair.

“It was brilliant, absolutely amazing, all my dreams came true.

“I’m really pleased with all of it. Who gets to do this? Nobody.”

Hidden inflatables including a banana and palm tree correlated to prizes including a television, games console, a carrier of prosecco wine and flowers.

Debbie, 41, has lung cancer which has spread to her spine and pelvis.

Her sister, Jo, has been secretly planning the sweep with the help of staff at Tesco for the past two months.

Jo pushed her sister in through the supermarket’s aisles while staff and members of her family helped grab items including cakes, biscuits, toilet rolls, cereal and joints of meat.

Having collected three trollies full of items, Debbie was presented with the gifts from the shop, as well as tablet computers for her sons, Taylor, who is two, and Riley, one. The family was also given a day-pass for Chessington World of Adventures.

“Debbie had written a bucket list and the first thing she put down was to do a supermarket sweep,” said Jo. “I called Tesco’s head office and spoke to Matt. Straight away he was brilliant.”

Matthew Grant, customer service manager for Tesco home department and Liz Jones, a community champion, worked with Jo to make the sweep happen.

Matthew said: “This has been the happiest moment of my life so far. I feel really emotional. I took the call when it first came through. I had been excited about this day for ages and I’m glad it’s gone well.”